Grain-grader



(N0 Model.)

G- H. RICH.

GRAIN GRADBR- No. 410,377. Patented Sept. 3. 1889..

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. RICH, OF GENEVA, ILLINOIS.

GRAIN-GRADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,377, dated September 3, 1889. Application filed March 14, 1888. Serial No. 267,162. (No modell) To a/ZZ whom t 71mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. RICH, a citizen of the United Stat-es, residing at Geneva, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and' useful Improvement in Grain-Graders, which is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a side elevation of my machine with parts cut in vertical section; Fig. 2, a sectional view taken on the dotted line l l of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a side elevation of one of the rings; Fig. 4, a section of said ring, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a side elevation of another ring; Fig. 7, a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 6, and Fig. S an enlarged View of a p0rtion of one of these rings.

Like letters of reference refer to corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

My invention relates to machines for grading grain, and more particularly for grading wheat7 and has for its object to grade it so that kernels of grain of different sizes will be separated from each other, and incidentally to separate from the grain any foreign material.

I will now describe the construction, of a machine in whichI have practically embodied my invention, and will then particularly point out in the claims those features which I deem to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent.

As shown in the drawings, the machine consists of a suitable frame A, which is provided with bearings B for the shaft C of the grading-cylinder.

E is the gradingcylinder, and is composed of a series of rings F G. The rims H of these rings are shaped alike; but the rings G have spokes or arms I, which support at the center a hub J. The shaft() passes through the hub J and supports the whole grading-cylinderE. The rings F and G are provided also with hubs K, through which pass rods L, by which the rings are all held in position relative to each other and constitute a grading-cylinder E, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. The

hubs K project laterally farther than the width of the rings, so as to space them properly on the rods L, making an opening between the rings, as shown; or the rings may be spaced by washers placed upon the rod L between the hubs K of the rings.

M is a hopper, from which the grain to be graded is fed into'the grading-cylinder E, as indicated by the arrow shown therein.

N is a roller which rests on the gradingcylinder E, and is provided with a shaft O, which has bearings P, as shown in Fig. l. I preferably make this roller in sections, and the openings in the sections of this roller through which the shaft O passes are somewhat larger than the shaft, so that each section of the roller will yield without the whole Weight of the roller being raised to allow the kernels of grain to pass between it and the grading-cylinder E Without being broken.

Q represents the hoppers, into which the diiferent grades of grain fall from the grading-cylinder as they pass through the openings "between the -rings of which the gradingcylinder is composed, and R represents the hopper into which the grain falls from the grading-cylinder which is too large to pass through those openings, and is discharged from the end of the grading-cylinder. The openings between the rings F G vary in Width from the upper or receiving end of the grading-cylinder toward the lower or discharging end of the cylinder, so that the dirt or small seeds of all kinds will be rst discharged from the grading-cylinder, and then the kernels of grain of the next grade will be discharged through Wider openings into the second hopper, and still larger kernels into the third hopper, and the kernels of grain too large to pass through the openings will be discharged from the discharging end of the cylinder. I do not limit myself to any number of grades of separation, but regulate the sizes of the openings according to the use to which the machine is to be applied.

The rods L pass through the hubs K at such positions with reference to the rims of the rings F G as to allow the grain to pass behind the rods and the hubs K as it is carried up between the rings by the revolution of the grading-cylinder, thus leaving con- TOO tinuous open spaces between the rings for the discharge of the kernels of grain without any interruption or means for clogging.

The rims of the rings YF G are made in the Shape shown in Fig. 8, for the purpose of making a groove into which the grain falls, and of such shape that the grain will not bind or lodge between the rims of the rings, and the thickness of the edges of the rings is less than the thickness of a kernel of grain, so that if a kernel lodges between the edges of these rings in the opening between the rings it will project partly through the opening and be forced back into the grading-cylinder by the roller N.

The grading-cylinderE is inclined, as shown in Fig. l, so that as the grain is carried up between the rings and falls back it will fall between the next pair of rings, thereby passing from the upper end to the lower end of the grading-cylinder and constantly brought into position over the openings successively, so that all of the smaller kernels of grain will be separated from the larger ones, as above described.

The grading-cylinder is rotated in any suitable manner; but l have shown the beveled wheel S, through which power may be transmitted for that purpose. v

It will be observed that the internal flanges of the rings are provided with surfaces which diverge outwardly, and that these surfaces are curved, the object of this curvature being to prevent the wedging of the grain which is likely to occur when the diverging surfaces are beveled off in planes, as has hereto fore been done.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The grading-cylinder E, composed of separate rings spaced apart at suitable distances and provided with internal ilanges having hubs supported thereon inside of the inner portion of the rings proper, and the rods L, passing through said hubs, whereby a clear space for the passage of the grain is formed between the said rods and the internal surface of the cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The gradingcylinder E, composed of separate rings provided with internal flanges having hubs supported on their inner edges, the rods L, passing .through said hubs, the rings being spaced on the rods L at varying distances apart, and separate hoppers Q, as and for the purposes speciiied and shown.

3. The combination,with the grading-cylinder E, composed of separate rings having intermediate spaces, of the shaft O, arranged parallel to said cylinder, and the roller N, mounted on said shaft and composed of separate sections having openings for said shaft of greater diameter than the diameter of the shaft, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

GEORGE, l-I. RICH. Vitnesses:

L. L. CoBURN, ABBIE M. BEST. 

